Blue Ridge Area Health Education Center

Project Lead:
Kimberlee Hartzler-Weakley, MPHE
Executive Director, Office on Children and Youth
Phone: (540) 568-7083
Email: hartzlkm@jmu.edu

Kim Hartzler-Weakley has a Master’s in Public Health Education and is currently a Ph.D student in Strategic Leadership with a concentration in Nonprofit and Community Leadership at JMU. She has 10 years of experience in non-profit and grant management.

Project Summary

The Blue Ridge Area Health Education Center (BRAHEC) at James Madison University, in partnership with Rockingham Memorial Hospital (RMH), is awarded $69,699.53 to create Youth and Diversity in Health Care Professions (YDHP) program to increase the diversity in Virginia’s health care workforce by focusing on middle and high school pipeline activities.

YDHP will introduce underrepresented minority students to health professions; increase their interest in pursuing a health profession; and increase their success in school through parent education. YDHP will host the Careers for Bilingual Professionals event and participate in three Teen Health Career Fairs. The partnership will include a five-day camp for middle and high school students called Careers in Health and Medicine Program (CHAMP), facilitating a Junior Volunteer Program and Shadowing Program and home visits to help students and parents with goal setting.

James Madison University
Office on Children and Youth
601 University Boulevard, MSC 9008
Harrisonburg, VA 22807
Phone: (540) 568-6409
Website: www.theocy.org

Find Local Support

Blue Ridge Region AHEC – Shenandoah Valley

Capital Region AHEC – Richmond Metro and surrounding areas

Eastern Virginia Region AHEC – Southeast Virginia and Peninsula

Northern Virginia Region AHEC – Northern Virginia

Rappahannock Region AHEC – Northern Neck, Fredericksburg, and Middle Peninsula

South Central Region AHEC – Lynchburg, Danville, and surrounding area

Southside Region AHEC – South of Richmond

Southwest Virginia Region AHEC – Roanoke Valley and West